Why I Go To Church When I Like – Ras Kimono

Famous Nigerian reggae artist Ras Kimono no doubt is a reporter’s delight as revealed in this encounter with him.

Ras Kimono

When asked to know whether it takes dreadlocks to become a Rastafarian, and must one take drugs?
No! I don’t take drugs or alcohol; I am a vegetarian and a Rastaman to the core. You don’t have to smoke or grow dreadlocks to be A Rastman. Most people you see with dreadlocks are not core Rastafarian. I call them funky dread, natty dread or fashion dread. When we started, it was like we were outcasts and some carry it because they want to attract girls, it’s like that overseas, white girls’ love dreadlocks and a lot of youth grow dreadlocks.

Do you go to Church?
I go when I like, because most of them are pure hypocrisy. The churches are hypocrites, so I don’t attend no more. The Bible says when two or more people are gathered in my name I am there so I gather my family and friends and we thank God for what He has done. The youths cannot afford to deal with this. The youth of these days can’t play reggae.

Why?
It’s difficult to play reggae, they want to make quick money and when you are singing reggae you don’t make much money. Nigeria is a capitalist country like America, and so they sing about sex, guns and your waist; and that’s what a lot of people want to hear. When you talk about the truth and rights of the society nobody wants to hear that. Tell any of the hip hop artistes to play core reggae, they will not because a lot of their friends are in high places. I have friends in high places that don’t patronize me because I sing reggae music and tell them the truth.

What keeps you going?
Simplicity and Consistency are my key words, and I mean consistency with or without money, because I should have diverted to something else. Some of my colleagues diverted to something else and they are making money now; but I said no, this is what God called me to do and I give thanks to Him for everything.